India is the world's second-largest market for elevators and escalators, behind China, with elevator demand expected to stand at 49,000 units at the end of this year, according to Sebi Joseph, President, Otis India.

With the Narendra Modi Government proposing to award Rs 500,000 crore worth of highway contracts in the last two years of its tenure, road construction companies are upbeat about the upcoming opportunities, which will span India.

India saw sales of more than 500 compactors in March 2017, the highest ever in a month, according to industry sources. Further, the last fiscal turned out to be one of the finest in a long time for compactor and paver sales, all because road development topped the 20 km per day mark.

In an all-India market that grew 1-6 per cent across regions due to challenging business conditions, leading cement companies delivered strong performances, with some even achieving 20 per cent growth last year.

'Demonetisation de-grew the industry by 40 per cent in November, 15 per cent in December and 3 per cent in January,' says Anup Bhargava, Product Group Head-Air-Conditioners, Godrej Industries. 'February was more or less flat.